May 2013 | Conference Paper
When Should a Speech Coding Quality Increase be Allowed Within a Talk-Spurt?
Cite This Publication
Stephen D. Voran and Andrew A. Catellier, “When Should a Speech Coding Quality Increase be Allowed Within a Talk-Spurt?,” in Proc. IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing May 2013, pp. 8149–8153.
Stephen D. Voran 
and Andrew A. Catellier
Abstract: The value or harm associated with an increase in speech coding quality depends on the type of the increase as well as the temporal location of the increase in an utterance. For example, some increases in speech coding bandwidth can be perceived as impairments. The higher quality associated with the wider bandwidth can offset the impairment, but only if the increase happens early enough in an utterance. We present a subjective speech-quality experiment that qualifies these relationships at the talk-spurt time-scale for six different combinations of AMR and SILK speech coders. If a quality increase does not include a bandwidth increase, then, on average, it is beneficial only if it occurs in the first 2.8 seconds of a talk-spurt. If a quality increase includes a bandwidth increase, then it is beneficial only if it occurs in the first 1.8 seconds of a talk-spurt.
Keywords: speech coding; speech quality; subjective testing; AMR; SILK; speech bandwidth; time-varying speech quality
For technical information concerning this report, contact:
Stephen D. Voran
Institute for Telecommunication Sciences
(720) 446-6425
svoran@ntia.gov
For funding information concerning this report, click this link.
Funding Information
Performing Agency
Disclaimer:
Certain commercial equipment, components, and software may be identified in this report to specify adequately the technical aspects of the reported results. In no case does such identification imply recommendation or endorsement by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, nor does it imply that the equipment or software identified is necessarily the best available for the particular application or uses.
For questions or information on this or any other NTIA scientific publication, contact the ITS Publications Office at ITSinfo@ntia.gov or 303-497-3572.